Newsletter 180

One would think that the Suncoast area is safe from the wrath of winter weather. Unfortunately, this year we have had prolonged cold weather and even a freeze for a few nights in January!!! While the weather is not as brutal as our friends in the north have and are experiencing, it’s a shocker for people who come here expecting a beach vacation.

The cold weather has affected our beloved manatees and green sea turtles: there’s more on that story below. 30 manatee deaths have been reported due to the cold water. There are reports of iguanas falling from the trees in more southern areas, although there are some sightings of the green menaces in our area. The tropical landscaping and fruit trees are also suffering. We know that the weather will warm up soon, so we enjoy the time digging out our sweaters and fleece instead of snow and ice.

Florida has emerged as the most drought-stricken state in the nation, with forecasts calling for more persistent dryness through March. This results in fire risk warnings.

Irregardless, the tourists are here and are finding ways to enjoy our area when the weather is chilly. Baseball Spring Training has just started. It’s a great way to enjoy your favorite team up close and personal. Here’s a link to the Grapefruit League Spring Training schedule: Florida Spring Training 2026

Please grab a coffee or a beverage of your choice and enjoy the latest news from the Suncoast.

NEWS FROM THE SUNCOAST

WARM WELCOME

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium is currently caring for three young, cold-stressed manatees and 25 cold-stunned green sea turtles that were impacted by the recent wave of cold weather. All of the animals are being cared for and monitored at Mote’s Sea Turtle and Manatee Rehabilitation Hospital. The three manatees were all rescued from Bear Creek in Pinellas County. The 25 green sea turtles were transferred from Florida’s east coast, according to a Feb. 10 printed release from Mote. Mote scientists also rescued a cold-stunned manatee off Siesta Key on Jan. 23. That animal has since been transferred to ZooTampa at Lowry Park in Tampa, which is a Primary Care Manatee Rehabilitation Facility. Mote became a secondary care rehabilitation facility for manatees in April 2025. A sudden and prolonged drop in water temperature is potentially life-threatening to marine animals. “When cold-stressing and stunning occur, the ability to respond quickly and effectively is critical,” Lynne Byrd, the rehabilitation & medical care manager of Mote’s Sea Turtle and Manatee Rehabilitation Hospital, said in a prepared statement. “Mote’s facilities, protocols, and experienced staff allow us to provide high-quality rehabilitative care during periods when multiple species are impacted at the same time.” Mote notes in a release that many marine animals rely on their surrounding environment to help regulate body temperature. When the water gets too cold, affected animals can get lethargic, disoriented, or unable to swim to forage for food. That leaves them vulnerable to predators, strikes by vessels, or health complications, including infection and pneumonia. For more information on this story, courtesy of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, please click here: Warm Welcome

AREA’S REAL ESTATE MARKET MIXED IN 2025

Sarasota and Manatee counties’ 2025 real estate market showed contrasting trends across housing segments compared to 2024, with multiple areas showing growth while others declined, according to the most recent industry report. The Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee’s 2025 findings showed an increase in closed sales on single-family homes for Sarasota, and a much smaller increase in Manatee for the same sector. However, in the townhomes and condos sector only Manatee County saw an increase in closed sales. “Even in Sarasota and Manatee counties, as you can see from the year-end data, we truly have multiple markets, not only between single-family homes and condo or townhome properties, but also between resale inventory and new construction coming to market,” said David Crawford, 2026 RASM President and Broker/Owner of Catalist Realty. The median sale price on single-family homes dropped 6% in Sarasota County compared to the previous year from $505,000 to $474,700. In Manatee County, the median price of homes decreased 5%, from $499,875 in 2024 to $475,000 in 2025. Both counties also saw dips in the median sale price for townhomes and condos, with a 15.3% decline from $383,500 to $325,000 in Sarasota and an 8.6% decline from $338,990 to $310,000 in Manatee compared to 2024. Single-family home sales in Sarasota County climbed 9.3% from 2024. Although Manatee saw only a 0.5% increase in the same sector, the county’s condo and townhome sector was up nearly 5%. In that same sector, Sarasota dropped 4.3% year-over-year. Inventory remained high. Sarasota County reported a 4.7-month supply of single-family homes, a 14.5% year-over-year decrease, and an 8.1-month supply of condos and townhomes, a 17.4% spike from 2024. Manatee County saw a 7.5% year-over-year increase yielding a 4.3-month supply of single-family homes, with the townhome and condo supply remaining relatively stable with a 6.5 month-supply, or a 5.8% decrease from the previous year.

“Single‑family homes remained resilient, with modest price easing and healthy sales volumes. Condos and townhomes, particularly in Sarasota, faced significant price adjustments and slower sales,” the report said. Median time to sale is still over 100 days in both counties across all sectors except single-family homes in Sarasota, which was at 99 days for 2025. “The 2025 figures highlight that there is no single narrative for the Sarasota–Manatee housing market,” the report read. Please click here for more:

Area’s 2025 Real Estate Trends Mixed

SARASOTA MAKES FL TOP 10 BOATING HOTSPOTS

The city of Sarasota — hugging its namesake bay and dotted with numerous waterfront homes and restaurants — reclaimed the No. 10 spot in a recent ranking of Florida’s emerging boating hotspots by an international organization. Miami, Miami Beach, and Fort Lauderdale took the top three slots in a recent report compiled by Getmyboat.com, a Miami-based boat rental and charter marketplace. Sarasota was also ranked No. 10 in the 2024 compilation, which is determined by a review of boat rental data on its platform. Valerie Streif, marketing manager for Getmyboat, said the platform saw a 24% growth in revenue in Sarasota over the past 12 months from the 60 boats available for rental at an average rate of $113 per hour. More than two million customers in 184 countries have used the platform to get out on the water. The most popular rental or charter craft in Miami, Miami Beach, and Fort Lauderdale were yachts. In St. Petersburg, Fort Walton Beach, Cape Coral, Destin, and Clearwater — ranked 4th through 8th respectively — pontoon boats were the most popular rental choice. Powerboats were the most popular rentals for No. 9 Pompano Beach and Sarasota. Holmes Beach and Madeira Beach both fell out of the top 10 in rankings from 2025. Please click here for more: Sarasota Makes FL Top 10 Boating Hotspots

SALES EFFORT BEGINS FOR LUXURY CONDO COMPLEX

Waldorf Estoria Residences Sarasota, a downtown development set to replace the old Zenith Insurance office tower overlooking Selby Five Points Park, has officially launched the sales of its ultra-luxury condos, anticipated for completion by 2029. Jebcore Companies, a real estate development firm in Sarasota, partnered with WMG Development, a national real estate investment and development company headquartered in Florida, and Hilton, a leading global hospitality company to bring Sarasota its first Waldorf Astoria Residences. Sales are starting at $2.2 million, with Michael Saunders & Company exclusively leading the sales. Construction is expected to begin in late 2026. Once completed, the 18-story tower will feature 86 private residences, ranging from one to five bedrooms, “with expansive floorplans, 14-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, and sweeping curved terraces with glass railings,” according to a Sales Effort Begins For Luxury Condo Complex

COUNTY TO BUY WATERFRONT PROPERTY

The city of Sarasota — hugging its namesake bay and dotted with numerous waterfront homes and restaurants — reclaimed the No. 10 spot in a recent ranking of Florida’s emerging boating hotspots by an international organization. Miami, Miami Beach, and Fort Lauderdale took the top three slots in a recent report compiled by Getmyboat.com, a Miami-based boat rental and charter marketplace. Sarasota was also ranked No. 10 in the 2024 compilation, which is determined by a review of boat rental data on its platform. Valerie Streif, marketing manager for Getmyboat, said the platform saw a 24% growth in revenue in Sarasota over the past 12 months from the 60 boats available for rental at an average rate of $113 per hour. More than two million customers in 184 countries have used the platform to get out on the water. The most popular rental or charter craft in Miami, Miami Beach, and Fort Lauderdale were yachts. In St. Petersburg, Fort Walton Beach, Cape Coral, Destin, and Clearwater — ranked 4th through 8th respectively — pontoon boats were the most popular rental choice. Powerboats were the most popular rentals for No. 9 Pompano Beach and Sarasota. Holmes Beach and Madeira Beach both fell out of the top 10 in rankings from 2025. Please click here for more: Sarasota Makes FL Top 10 Boating Hotspots

SALES EFFORT BEGINS FOR LUXURY CONDO COMPLEX

Sarasota County is closing in on purchasing a $18.1 million slice of waterfront property near Siesta Key which was once home to a popular restaurant, with plans to create a new public park and possibly a new waterfront dining destination. The property is called “The Boatyard,” a 2.04‑acre parcel along the mainland side of the Intracoastal Waterway on Stickney Point Road, just south of the drawbridge. It includes 700 feet of bay frontage, 5,000 feet of docks, boardwalks, and decks, and 21 commercial condos. The goal for the purchase is to “enhance public water access,” according to a county memo. Potential features for a park could include motorized and non-motorized boating, fishing, wildlife viewing, and picnicking. However, according to Shawn Yeager, the interim director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources, county staff did not have to provide a concept plan for the park until after the purchase was approved. Commissioner Chair Ron Cutsinger said the county was exploring the potential of adding boating amenities and a waterfront restaurant as part of the $2 million or so start-up costs. In a video released by the county, Yeager called the purchase an amazing opportunity to provide more access to water recreation to the public. He said the county has until July to assess the site before formally purchasing the property. There’s more on this story here: County To Purchase Waterfront Property

SARASOTA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER UPDATE

It has been just under a year since members of the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation brought their plan for a new performing arts center within The Bay Park to the Sarasota City Commission, hoping to move the public/private partnership forward toward implementation and a final design. What they got instead was an earful of critiques and a charge to return to the drawing board prior to any vote on a controversial project that’s been part of Sarasota’s bayfront revision plan since its start in 2018. The foundation took the directive to heart. On March 2, leaders will return to City Hall with “Concept 2.0,” a revised design that responds to a multitude of raised concerns, from the site location to the parking needs to the overall cost. “We’ve been quiet, but we haven’t been idle,” said Tania Castroverde Moskalenko, CEO of the Foundation since 2024 (following the resignation of Cheryl Mendelson), at the most recent of several “Center Stage Conversations” introducing the new design. “The last four months we have made more progress on this project than in the two years I’ve been here. I hope the foundation’s willingness to listen and respond has really showed the city, and I hope the community, that we are being responsive and responsible.” There’s more on this story: County To Purchase Waterfront Property

WELCOME HOMES

The completion of the area’s latest and much-needed affordable housing community was officially celebrated at a recent ribbon cutting for North Sarasota’s New Trail Plaza. Developed by Tampa-based Blue Sky Communities in partnership with Community Assisted and Supported Living, Inc., or CASL, the community at 4644 N. Tamiami Trail includes 96 affordable one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments for families and individuals at or below 80% Area Median Income. The property, at a little over 6 acres, also holds a 3,000-square-foot family and children’s center that can host human service providers and after-school programs for New Trail residents. It can also be a resource for families from the surrounding community, said PJ Brooks, chief operations officer for CASL. The nearly $28 million project was brought about through a combination of private and public funds. It targets individuals, seniors and working families who are struggling to keep their heads above water amid high rents and other soaring costs of living, Brooks said. Among them are service workers and others in the region’s largest employment sectors who can barely afford to live in Sarasota. “That is where it is needed,” Brooks said of households and income levels. This project marks the first for CASL in expanding its scope from its core mission of serving populations with substance abuse or mental health disorders through supportive and safe housing.Please follow the jump for more on this story: Welcome Homes

TAMPA BAY CRUISE PORT PROPOSAL SPURS UPROAR

The proposal to redevelop over 342 acres of environmentally sensitive wetlands off Manatee County’s Gulf Coast into a cruise ship port has received widespread condemnation from politicians, civic groups and environmental activists.The proposed “Knott-Cowen Cruise Port” would be located just south of where I-275 crests toward the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The property is right beside the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve and Rattlesnake Key, two of the most environmentally sensitive areas in Florida. The project is a collaboration between Slip Knott LLC, the Tampa-based landowner, and SSA Marine, a major “cruise terminal operator.” The Manatee County Commission would ultimately have to approve a rezoning petition. Meanwhile, public opposition has gained traction. An online petition to “Stop The Proposed Cruise Ship Port” has over 17,171 signatures as of Tuesday, Feb. 3. For its part, SSA Marine claims the project will create more jobs and boost tourism in the area. The company also bought 710 acres of nearby Rattlesnake Key for conservation. “We look forward to working closely with local officials, residents and environmental leaders in the months ahead to discuss how best to preserve the natural character of this special property,” the company said on its website. Please click here for more: Tampa Bay Cruise Port Proposal Spurs Uproar

SECOND TRADER JOE’S PLANNED FOR SARASOTA

A new national survey has ranked Trader Joe’s No. 1 for customer satisfaction among all grocery store chains, beating out Lakeland-based Publix Super Markets, which came in second place. In Florida, the Monrovia, California-based upscale grocery chain only has 27 stores, but plans to add more, a Trader Joe’s spokeswoman confirmed. The Herald-Tribune previously reported that a Trader Joe’s may be opening on the corner of South Beneva Road and U.S. 41, replacing what used to be a Staples. At the time, Benderson Development did not confirm if the building would become the popular grocer, but applied for prep permits and labeled the space as “future grocery store.” This month, a commercial alteration permit was filed with Sarasota County, identifying the project — located at 8199 S. Tamiami Trail — as a Trader Joe’s. The application is currently in plan review, according to a county spokesperson, with a review date of March 20. “We are actively looking at hundreds of neighborhoods across the country, including many in Florida, as we hope to open more new neighborhood stores each year,” wrote Nakia Rohde in an email responding to an inquiry by USA TODAY Network-Florida. “At this time, I can confirm we have plans for stores in West Palm Beach, Sarasota, Kissimmee, and Maitland.” Please click here for more: Second Trader Joe’s Planned For Sarasota

SEASON OF SHARING RAISES $4.2M

Despite an affordability crisis that is squeezing local residents at every turn, thousands of them stepped forward during the annual Season of Sharing fundraising campaign to contribute $4.2 million to distressed neighbors.That amount is one of the highest in the twenty-six-year history of Season of Sharing, which was created by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County in partnership with the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Not counting last year’s unprecedented total of $7.2 million – half of which came from numerous philanthropists in the wake of several hurricanes – this year’s donations nearly reached the last previous record of $4.4-million set in 2021-2022. And it did so amid widespread hardship that has left many local families in precarious financial straits, said Jessica Muroff, the Community Foundation’s president and CEO. “Season of Sharing helps people who are living on the margins find their footing and gives them a path back to stability,” Muroff said. “The beauty of the campaign is in how it connects neighbors with neighbors and in how people step up to make a difference in someone else’s life every day,” she added. Please click on the link for more: Season Of Sharing Raises $4.2M